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Camilla •

It's time to go home, if I can call the palace my home. I left as a maid but now I will return as the king's .... woman. Well technically I did not leave as I was kidnapped and the circumstances were different then. Now a couple months later my situation have gotten more complicated but at least I have my happiness now.

Caressing my stomach I feel the love and connection with the life growing inside of me. To think that I'll be becoming a mother in seven months time is both exciting and terrifying. But I'm done with being alone and lonely. I don't only have myself anymore, now I have my child and Niko, as per the king himself.

"Hey there toodles, I'm very excited to hold you. Please be good to momma, alright?", I talked to my baby while still patting my two-month old bump. I am really not showing that much just cause I am a big woman. But my breasts are a different story. It's getting heavier and bigger and my nipples have shown themselves slowly but surely.

I hear a groan behind me in the bed. The king have finally stirred in his deep slumber. After our seemingly endless bout in the sheets the night before I am surprised I can still move comfortably.
Well sure, I am sore but everything else is achingly good and my muscles seem to be firmer. I wonder why.

"Good morning flower. How long have you been up? Come here." I don't want to, but resisting the king is useless now. So I obliged and laid down beside him, face up in the ceiling.

I can feel him staring at me, and his fingers skimmed my face gently before it clipped in on my chin and made me stare back at his handsome face. It was very early in the morning and he's illegally throwing me under the rug for his intense eyes full of unnameable emotions.

"Better. Now I just need my morning kiss then we can start our day right." I pecked him immediately on his soft lips with my chapped ones. It reminded me of those winter days in the fields of my hometown, Halsburth, where my lips chap and break due to being out in the cold for a long while. Who knew my days of cold will be spent differently now.

"You call that a kiss? Let me show you how it's done." I heard the king say with a disappointed face before his lips once again connected to mine in a duel of lips and tongue. And morning breath. Definitely my morning breath.

Bright red and out of air, thankfully Niko pulled away this time, but not before sucking my lower lip which I observed has become a habit of his every time we are together like this. "And that's what you call a proper good morning kiss. Let's shower and then we'll discuss our course of action after breakfast." I nod, and went out of bed.

We showered together and the king being a full bloodied young man, took me from behind and gave me two orgasms that left me fully satisfied.

Such a great time to be alive.

I hope it will still be like this when we go back to the palace. Or not. Time can only tell.

••••

"My king, I did not see Prince Izaak today." I told the king over breakfast. The prince was not in his usual seat. I have become so used of his presence that I immediately noticed his absence.

"He left last night. He have to take care of important things. And it's Niko for you." He replied, though I did not ask him of his brother's whereabouts. I'm surprised.

"Oh. Alright." I continued eating, but with minimal interest. I crave the expensive woodsy scent, but the owner of the said cologne is not here. I sighed.

"Sighing in front of grace is a rude behaviour, I was told. Would you like to tell me what got you bothered? Hmm, flower?" Niko put down his utensils and focused his full attention on me.

"I, uhm, I... want to see Iza and smell him." I want to hide my face from the king but I don't want to look too childish. "I m-mean, this must be a pregnancy thing", I quickly amended before he gets the wrong idea.

I'm salivating thinking of smelling the woodsy scent again. I am aware my eyes are tearing up now. My hormones are all over the place. Is it like this for other pregnant first timers?

Niko's eyes softened. Before I knew it he had his mobile phone in hand, appearing to call someone.

"Exact brand of your cologne. The one you're currently wearing. And have my men deliver a box with the biggest available bottle as soon as you're able. Call me when it's done. Bye."

I blinked a few times. Was it for me? Oh I hope so! With a renewed vigor I finished my plate in high spirits.

Maybe being Romanovia's queen won't be too bad after all.

••••••

Nikolov •

"..call me when it's done. Bye."
Asshole. I almost add. Almost.

Once I pocketed my device, I looked over at Camilla and she's obviously trying to hide the ear-splitting grin about to spread her mouth. Unsuccessful, though, as she cannot contain her excitement and her mouth widened in a big smile while doing the dishes.

That irked me. What was so special about that boring scent? Doesn't she want my smell? I sniffed at my clothes. I smell fucking divine to me.

I cleared my throat for some interrogation. "Camilla." I called her. "Do you want something else. Food? Any thing you want to see? Just tell me. I'll gladly give it to you."

"No, Niko. That's it for now. I...I just want the smell of the woods in my nose again."

An idea suddenly popped in my head. Woods, huh?

"Fine. Come with me then," I determinedly said and dragged her to the place I have in mind.

Not long after we arrived at the primary source of the thing she's longing for. Let's see if this place can't satisfy her craving.

We are standing at the heart of the forest. Yes, into the woods we go to smell the woods. Amazing, ain't I?

I looked at her and her face looked baffled and curious.

"Okay, flower. You can start roaming around. Fill your lungs with that woodsy fragrance to your hearts content." I gestured towards the vast area, with tall tress, fallen logs and thick variety of ferns and hanging plants. Different kinds of birds were also flying about, hunting for food and just living their lives, I guess. It's what I'm doing too right at this moment, before I go back to the grueling life of being the ruthless king that I am.

A sound of crisp laughter permeated my reveries. The sight of my woman showing genuine happiness warmed my insides like no liquor can do. I can drink her in all day, I won't mind.

She turned to me, and engulfed me in a strong embrace I stumbled back a bit with the force of her sudden action. Her hands then brought my face down to hers and caught my lips in a deep kiss.

Wow! I like her like this. I should get my flower pregnant each year. If she also wants to, you idiot. I'm getting ahead of myself again.

When she let go of me, her watery eyes met mine. "Please accept my gratitude, my king. I understand that you only do this for the sake of your heir, but I am truly grateful. This is very thoughtful of you. Thank you," she said and curtsied.

"Only call me Niko from this day forward, and I shall accept your appreciation." And baby or whatever cheesy endearment she chooses in the future as reference of me, I'm up for it.

"But...what will your people say? That you are weak because of such disrespect?," she thoughtfully asked. She has a point.

"I don't actually give a fvcking cents if they think that way. But alright. Only when we're alone, especially in the bedroom," I added suggestively, that made her blush hard. Ah, my innocent flower.

She nodded her head as affirmation and went on her merry way. Around and about, she touched the sturdy trunks of the trees, peeled the bark of the logs and sniffed as much as she can with the strong perfume of woods and soil. She even went as far as hugging every vegetation she deemed as wounded that needed some care.

I noted this side of hers by heart. She loved the outdoors. I do, too. That's why we're a perfect match. Yes, we fucking are!

While following Camilla around I caught sight of my men guarding us and signalled me that everything's fine.

But not until I lost her somehow in the bushes. I called and called for her, thinking she might just want to play hide and seek but nobody answered. Shit! I cannot panic. She's just here, around. I cannot believe this is happening. Just seconds ago she was smiling. Now she's nowhere in sight.

"Search the area. Look for her. Don't come back without her. Now go!" I commanded in haste, the strain in my voice evident. Where is she? Fucking fuck!

A myriad of thoughts enter my head. Maybe she fell in a pit. Or she got lost along the way, or she got abducted by rebels, but there were no rebels I made sure of that.

But the worst was maybe she runaway and escaped. Maybe this was her plan all along. Maybe she orchestrated all her actions in the past couple days to make me complacent and follow her whims with no ounce of doubt.

I'm going crazy with worry and rage. My mind was clouded with worst case scenarios, I couldn't think straight. And to think she's carrying my child, heaven forbid something bad happened to Camilla. Fuck this!

The possibility of betrayal...she will see. She will definitely see what kind of monster I can be if I want to.

I frantically searched for her with my men. Every nook and cranny she can possibly hide or holes she can fall into, we looked and looked- nothing.

And then a piercing scream echoed throughout the forest. The voice certainly belonged to a female. My blood ran cold at the countless possibilities, all of them not good.

Immediately we followed the source of that one single scream, and there my woman laid at the side of the lake, the same place I found the wounded wolf.
She was unconscious.

Not wasting a second I checked for any visible wound or a trace of blood and found none. I felt her pulse, all the while calling her name to rouse her up, but she remained unresponsive.

"Call Doctor Montgomery. You know what to do," I said to one of my guards, and lifted Camilla in my arms to head inside the fortress.

Once inside our bedroom I checked her pulse yet again and her pulse rate have become steadier. Her face reduced to a pale pink and her lips slightly returning to its natural colour.

Doctor Montgomery arrived a half hour later. He did what he has to do. I just want to know how's my flower and our baby.

"How's Camilla and our child? Are they safe?," I asked the doctor when he's done checking her up.

"Yes, your Majesty. They are both fine. Just please let milady avoid stress for it can affect the child she's carrying."

"Duly noted, doctor. My men will escort you out, if that is all."

"Yes. Thank you, your Majesty. I'll take my leave now." He was then blindfolded and escorted out. I'm confident he won't say a word to the council. Doctor Montgomery has sworn and signed a non-disclosure agreement along with his whole kin. They would know what's up their tails if they go against me.

Approaching the bed and slowly sitting beside my sleeping woman, I realized I would be bringing her to an insurmountable amount of stress once we go home to my responsibility. The doctor specifically said to avoid factors that bring discomfort and uneasiness to her pregnant nature. Can I actually risk them?

And why was she unconscious when I found her? Why had I lost her in the woods in the first place? It remained a mystery until she's awake and I can finally ask her the truth about what happened.

Too many questions with no clear answers made my head spin I wanted to rest and the bed looked too enticing.
I laid beside Camilla's still body and caressed her stomach.

She's so soft while I am the opposite. I closed my eyes and wrapped my arm around her.

I thought hard. Is going back a good thing to do right now? Or I just have to put it off again?

I'll have my answers soon when my woman rouses out of her unknown slumber. I hoped to all the gods it won't turn out to be her evil scheme. Because if it is, I would unleash the beast in me and it would get ugly.

Pretty ugly.

••••••••

What's up my vandits? How I missed you so! How 'bout u, did u miss me? Did you also miss our dysfunctional duo? Say you do and I'll definitely cry. 😩

This is actually just a filler chapter to prepare the next chapters. I'm telling you the following updates will be exciting I cannot wait to build the whole scenarios in my head into actual words!

Tell me where are you guys reading from. I'd love to know! And say hello in your native tongue.

Also, 173K reads WOW THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR READING AND FOR PATIENTLY WAITING I SERIOUSLY LOVE YOU ALL MY VANDITS!!!!

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On to the next. Love you and take care of yourself please.

- Clara G. ❤